3.3 Notes: Describing Acids and Bases
- acid: a substance that tastes sour, reacts with metals and carbonates, and turns blue litmus paper red
- corrosive: "eat away" another material (acids are corrosive)
- carbonate ions contain carbon and oxygen atoms bonded together
- indicator: a compound that changes color when in contact with an acid or a base
- base: substance that tastes bitter, feels slippery, and turns red litmus paper blue
- acids and bases have many uses around the home and in industry
- acids are found in oranges, tomatoes and green, leafy vegetables; used to make fertilizers, found in car batteries
- bases are found in household cleaning products; baking soda (a base) reacts with acids to produce carbon dioxide; mortar and cement are manufactured using bases